Subcommittee Wants to Look at Putting Temporary Lights at Park

With a growing youth sports program and limited field space in Watertown, a Council subcommittee recommended allowing temporary lights at a town park.

The Human Services subcommittee voted to support having temporary lights at Arsenal Park, said Councilor Aaron Dushku, vice chairman of the subcommittee.

“The council will listen to the report, ask questions and make a vote when we next reconvene as a whole,” Dushku said. “Naturally, this will be a recommendation to the administration that they work out the finer details of the process -some of which were discussed.”

The subcommittee meeting was well attended, with a large contingent of residents who live near Victory Field. They wanted to express their opposition of temporary lights around the track area of that field.

Watertown Youth Sports, particularly soccer, has grown in recent years. Watertown Youth Soccer President Mark Leonard told the subcommittee that more than 600 children play in the Youth Soccer program.

Who will pay for the lights, that could cost over $15,000 a year to rent, remains up in the air.

“Knowing that in the near future, the town will be installing more permanent lighting on at least one field in town, there was a second recommendation that the town cover the costs of temporary lights at Arsenal Park this fall,” Dushku said. “I feel that we should but I would be open, also to a compromise where we asked permittees on this field to pay a higher rate than on non-lit fields.”

The town charges more for use of the football/baseball fields at Victory Field, which has lights, Dushku said, and he noted that users are not expected to cover the whole cost of those lights. The town, however, does not charge youth groups to use Victory Field.

The town’s Capital Improvement Plan has proposals for lights at other fields in Watertown, including the Arlington Street side of Filippello Park.

Before the temporary lights get approved, the proposal must be considered by the Conservation Commission, the Department of Public Works, as well as the Watertown Police and Fire departments.

The Human Services report and recommendations will be presented at the next Town Council meeting on Sept. 13.